After dropping four straight, the Cleveland Cavaliers have rattled off three wins in a row and looking like they are finally meshing. The team is coming off big wins over the Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers where players like Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson started to find their place. However, defense is still an issue and Cleveland is not done making moves to address roster moves. After signing AJ Price off the free agent market, could the team be involved in an upcoming trade?
According to Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers have signed backup point guard Price after he was waived by the Indiana Pacers. The Cavaliers have been looking at point guard depth during the season, getting linked to players like Norris Cole in a trade, but Price's familiarity with the team made him a solid option. In 10 games with the Pacers, he was averaging 10.5 points per game and 2.7 assists. The move helps give Kyrie Irving some relief in place of the injured Matthew Dellavedova.
The Cavaliers might not be done making moves just yet. The team has been targeting big men to help with a defensive presence under the rim. NBA sources had them linked to Chris Andersen of the Miami Heat among others. However, according to Yahoo Sports, Cleveland has interest in a trade for Andrei Kirilenko. The small forward is not living up to his contract with the Brooklyn Nets and has left the team to deal with a family matter in Russia. It is unknown if he intends to return until a move is made.
Kirilenko is not the player he once was. However, he could still be a serviceable role player for a contending team. Yahoo Sports reports that the the small forward will likely not be moved until closer to the trade deadline or after a contract buyout later in the season. The Los Angeles Clippers are also a contender for a deal.
For now, the Cavaliers will continue with their current roster and look to continue building chemistry. In the win over the Pacers, James was not the leading scorer. Instead, Love put up 28 points while Irving had 24. According to James, the Cavaliers need balance and he is more than happy to let others take the spotlight if it means the team gets the win.
"We're going to have games like that, and we need it," James said, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "We need balance. We're going to have guys that lead in points or in rebounds or in assists, whatever, on different occasions. Every game presents different challenges and for us, I'm not one to really care about if I'm the leading scorer or whatever the case might be. I'm out there making plays to help our team win."
